Key Takeaways:

• 8 arrested at Golden Finger Gaming Zone Pvt Ltd in Birgunj
• Detainees include Rural Chair Jaswant Yadav and Inspector Pradip Poudel
• Two other Nepali nationals and four casino employees also held
• Police seized government vehicle used by Yadav
• Operation aimed at preventing Nepali citizens from gambling in casinos

BIRGUNJ, SEPTEMBER 6 A rural municipality chairperson and a serving police inspector were among eight people arrested during a police operation at a casino in Birgunj after Nepali citizens were allegedly found gambling there. The arrests were made around 12:30am on Saturday at Golden Finger Gaming Zone Pvt Ltd in Gandak, Birgunj Metropolitan City-14, following information that Nepali citizens had been allowed into the casino, according to the District Police Office, Parsa. Those arrested include Jaswant Yadav, chairperson of Sakhuwaprasauni Rural Municipality-6, and Pradip Poudel, inspector and chief of the Pokhariya Area Police Office in Parsa. Two other Nepali nationals, Chandan Sahani and Om Prakash Baitha of Birgunj-11, were also detained. Police said Yadav was at the casino in a government vehicle registered to Sakhuwaprasauni Rural Municipality, which was also taken into custody. Four casino employees were detained for allegedly facilitating the entry of Nepali citizens. They were identified as Vijay Kumar Patel of Birgunj-14, Dinesh Kumar Patel of Birgunj-25, Jaydev Sah of Pipra-5, Mahottari, and Pradeshi Sah of Birgunj-12. The District Police Office said the operation was carried out to prevent Nepali citizens from entering casinos and participating in gambling activities. Police added that further investigation is under way into the roles of all eight detainees and how Nepali citizens were allowed to gamble inside the casino. According to the Casino Regulation 2025, Nepali nationals remained barred from entering or gambling in casinos, with the exception of authorized staff and officials on inspection duties. All visitors must be issued ID cards verified through citizenship certificates, passports, or other government-issued documents. Casinos are also required to securely retain these records for five years and produce them promptly upon audit requests.